Book Reviews

I've had a hard time getting into reading lately, but here are a few books that I did read.

Leonard (My Life as a Cat) by Carlie Sorosiak, Children's fiction (elementary ages), 2021

Lissa from Postcards from the Bookstore mentioned this book in one of her Book Rant posts. I thought it sounded like a fun, easy read for bedtime when I don't want anything too exciting.

Leonard is an alien who gets to come to Earth for a month for his 300th birthday. He wants to come as a park ranger in Yellowstone, but ends up as a cat in South Carolina instead. Olive, an 11-year-old girl, rescues Leonard in a storm, and he becomes her pet. By typing on her computer, he convinces her he is really an alien and needs help getting to Yellowstone on time for his pickup home. 

Olive is spending the summer with her grandmother and struggling with self-confidence because she is different than many other kids. She loves animals and knows and shares everything about them. During the summer, she learns to like herself while Leonard learns what it is to be truly human.

The book is fun as Leonard discovers his catlike ways. You will definitely relate if you've ever had a cat. The book has just the right amount of strife and tension with a happy ending appropriate for a children's book. I thought it was an enjoyable read.

Grace and Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman, Adult fiction, 2025

This book was reviewed by Squishy Tulips, who thoroughly enjoyed it. We're a little past the holiday season, but I decided I couldn't wait for next Christmas to read it. :)

Grace and Henry are 30-somethings who have both lost their spouses within the last year. Grace has 2 young children, and Henry has none. Grace's husband died after a long illness, and Henry's wife died in an accident. Both Grace and Henry are suffering from profound grief. 

Their mothers, who are in a book club together, decided to "fix them up" so they can have someone to talk to about their losses. Slowly, but surely, cracks form in their grief, and they begin to hope that life can go on.

This is definitely a character-driven story, and the author does a good job of exploring the complexities of grief and the little things along the way that can pull the grieving person back to living with hope. Despite the fact that this story deals with a very serious subject, it is a charming romance of sorts and was an enjoyable read. 

Note: The story takes place in Baltimore, and at first, I was distracted by the numerous references to all things Baltimore because I was personally familiar with them. I don't know if that would be the same for the generic reader. As I got further into the story, that was not as much of a problem.

The Infamous Gilberts by Angela Tomaski, Adult fiction, 2026

This was a book of mistaken identity. I hurriedly picked it up at the library, and I thought this one was another take on the Gilbreths, the family in Cheaper by the Dozen.

I was very wrong. This book is a work of fiction about the Gilbert family, consisting of five children, their mother, and their aunt. It follows their lives from the eve of World War II to the early 2000s.

The story is told in an unusual way, with the narrator, Max, giving the reader a tour of the Gilbert House before it is converted into a luxury hotel. 

An example: "There is another scent, of course--oh, many--but do not despair. It is possible to untangle the threads. Take your time. There it is...a musty tang, like stewed nails. It is blood, very old blood, rubbed deep into the fibres of the sea-blue rug at your feet. It was cleaned badly, even then, but that story comes later."

I think the author was very clever in the way she wove the story, but I wish it had had more traditional narratives during the tour.

The Gilbert family is a mess. The father died in WWI, and the family never recovered. The mother is clueless about most things and lets the children do whatever they want.  They don't go to school, and today, we would call them free-range kids. A bossy paternal aunt steps in from time to time to help, but usually makes things worse.

As the children grow into adults, we see that they all have problems. No one is happy. And because of this, I found the book depressing. In fact, about halfway through, I stopped. If I had known that at least there would be something positive eventually, I would have kept on. But all of the comments and reviews I read suggested otherwise.

The book has been described as "darkly comedic, quite unique, a blend of tragedy, comedy, and intrigue, tragic," among other things. I didn't find it funny. Perhaps because I was too focused on waiting for something good to happen. This book was not for me, but if you don't mind dark, depressing books, it is an interesting, well-written story.

Peril in Paris by Rhys Bowen, Adult mystery, 2022

I needed a palate cleanser after The Infamouse Gilberts, so I went back to my comfortable and familiar Royal Spyness mystery series and read Peril in Paris, which is #16 in the series.

Pregnant Georgie and her husband, Darcy, travel to Paris, where Darcy is working on a secret mission involving the Germans. The story takes place in 1936, when Hitler is gaining power. While Darcy is working, Georgie stays with her friend Belinda and ends up modeling in a Coco Chanel fashion show. A woman is murdered at the show, and through a set of coincidences, Georgie becomes the prime suspect.  

 Per usual, several historical figures factor into the story one way or another, and I always enjoy that part of the books. I liked this book better than the last two Royal Spyness books I read. It seemed more in line with many of the earlier books in the series.

 *The Royal Spyness books follow Georgie, 35th in line to the British Throne, in the 1930s, as she stumbles onto murder after murder. There are castles, rich people, royalty, and many class restrictions that surround the stories. Despite being royalty, Georgie has no money, which causes a set of problems all its own. The stories are in historically accurate settings, and humorous relief is provided by her inept maid, Queenie.

These books are as much about the characters and settings as the mysteries, and I reach for one of them while I am waiting on a hold or looking for a familiar comfort read. 

Until next time...

Spring Sunshine

 We have had perfect weather the last two days with sunshine and temperatures in the low-70s F. A very welcome change from the cold rain we have been having. 

Yesterday, to take advantage of this glorious day, Ward and I visited some old and new-to-us trails. We were looking for mostly paved trails, hoping to find less mud there. We succeeded. 

The first walk was a new trail that took us beside woods and long-abandoned houses. While it wasn't pristine nature, it was still interesting to imagine the lives that were lived there before nature began reclaiming it.

This roof was all the way on the ground.
We tried to determine the sequence of events that led to this.

Next, we went to a trail we hadn't been on for a while. It is in a stream valley, and much of it is on a boardwalk, so it was a good candidate for a muddy day.

On the hill next to the trail, we found an old family cemetery. 

The house with the cemetery was no longer there,
 but daffodils and crocuses were marking where it had been.

One of the first things I noticed on the trail was that skunk cabbage was starting to come up.

One of the first things Ward noticed was how this bridge was built. And that's the way it usually goes. I notice plants, and he notices structures. When we are together, we both are shown things we wouldn't normally pay attention to. It works out nicely.

We didn't see much green, but we did see interesting fungi.

But the real stars of the day were the wood frogs, who were croaking loudly in every bit of standing water we came across. I spent too long trying to embed the video with the sound without success, so you'll have to Google it* if you want to hear what they sounded like. But they were singing their hearts out, looking for a mate. 
*https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CbQrorDMPTc?feature=share

That's about it for today, so

Until next time...

Bow Window

  Yesterday, we had yet another chapter in our leaking window saga. As you might remember, a few months ago, we found that our living room bow window was leaking. We were hoping that some recaulking would be all that was needed. Nope. That didn't do it.

After many phone calls and emails, the window manufacturer said they would replace the window. Okay. But we still weren't sure whether the window was the problem. After meeting with an experienced contractor and architect, the conclusion is that we need a roof extension and relaying of the bricks that the window sits on. Apparently, there is not enough overhang of the roof or slope of the sill to keep the water away. The original window in that spot was also showing signs of leaking, so it seems that there's more to it than just a faulty window. Anyway, we haven't heard any estimates yet, but this is going to be a very expensive job. 

The original window to the house, which was still in place when we moved in. You can't see the rotten wood in this picture unless you look very closely, but it's there. 

Installing the new window. 

All done. This is the one that is going to be replaced.

The cats liked to sleep in front of the window.

Oh, well. We want it done right, so we won't have to deal with it in the future, because I've watched home improvement shows and know you don't want any moisture behind the walls to rot things. If it goes too long, you've got BIG problems on your hands. Hopefully, we have caught this in time before too much wood has been damaged. I guess we'll find out when the work for the new window is done. Sigh.

Until then, I've started some seeds on the window seat. Since there is already water damage there, I'm not worried if the trays leak, etc. The silver lining, I guess.

The tomatoes and basil have sprouted so far.

Until next time...

Saturday

On Saturday, we woke up to sobering news that we are involved in another conflict in the Middle East. It was difficult to process, so I did what I had to do to survive. I turned off the news and enjoyed the beautiful day we had here. 

Amidst the tragedies of the world, there are still signs of hope and things to smile about.

As the day was warming from the 30s F to the 60s F, Wally and Theo came over for a visit. While Wally and Ward processed yard waste, Theo and I made a big pot of chili. I always enjoy our cooking sessions and the cooking tips I learn from Theo as he tries to make each dish have a good depth of flavor. He is much better with seasoning than I am. The chili turned out to be some of the best I've had.

After lunch, the sun was shining, and the temperature was rising. Wally and Theo made their way home, and Ward and I sat on the porch and read in the warm sunshine. It was wonderful. 

Later, we worked in the yard, pruning and cleaning up the beds. I usually don't do much fall cleanup, except in the vegetable garden, so there's a lot to do. My excuse is that the dead growth on top is a layer of protection against the winter cold. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. :)

We saw more signs that life goes on when we found that bluebirds are
 building a nest in one of the nest boxes.

However, to protect the birds, we need to narrow the box hole
that a squirrel enlarged this winter.

During our cleanup, we found several branches that came down
with last weekend's snow. This cleanup is going to involve some chainsaws.

We also found that voles had been active in several places in our yard.
We're still in the research process, but it looks like they won't be easy to get rid of.

I uncovered some daffodils that were trying to grow under a flower pot.

And it looks like the spinach from last fall is coming back.
 Another thing to smile about.

We're back to colder weather today, but spring is on its way.

Until next time...

This and That and the Weather

 I'm finding it harder to blog these days, so I thought it was time for some speed blogging. 

Here it goes. 

Protected from the outdoor weather, the cactus continues to bloom.

I was remembering a quote about the weather, so I went looking in an old blog post, and I found it.

Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in a while.  ~Kin Hubbard

This is so true. For me, anyway. I talk about the weather with my neighbors. I talk about the weather with Ward. I talk about the weather with Wally and Theo. I talk about the weather with my sisters. I talk about the weather at the gym. I talk about the weather on my blog and other blogs. Anyone I can get to listen, I will talk about the weather. The weather is the common denominator for all of us. Rich or poor. Big or little. Old or young. We all experience it, and it's the one thing we really don't have control over. So we talk about it as a way to connect with others, whether complaining or praising what is happening outside. And because I'm not so good at chitchat, the weather is a good conversation starter.

So guess what I'm going to talk about today? The weather. 

After the big ice snow storm finally melted and the rain stopped, I ventured into the backyard on Saturday to see if I could find any signs of spring. The birds were already feeling it. They were starting to sing and show off their bright mating colors.

Could the plants be far behind? Lo and behold, I found some green leaves poking their head above the ground. The pictures below don't look like much, but I was excited to find these green leaves among the brown.

The first thing I found was daffodil leaves. 

Next were the emerging surprise lilies. 

Then, I went around the corner and found some of the crocus bulbs I planted last fall. You may remember I did an impulse buy of 64 crocus bulbs from Costco. I didn't have a specific place to plant them, so I just placed them here and there. This spring will be like a treasure hunt as I find them all.

And look! Hiding under the fig tree were some actual blooms! That definitely got a big smile. 

Then on Sunday, the rain returned, and we had rain with occasional snowflakes mixed in all day. When we left for our 5 pm swing dance class, it was raining, and the roads were wet. When we left class an hour later, it was snowing hard and sticking. The drive home was tense. Amid heavy snow, fog, and darkness, we couldn't see much, including any road markings. But we made it home without an incident. Thank goodness. 

Monday morning snow. We were lucky that we were on the outer bands of the blizzard that hit New England, where they 2' or more of snow. We got about 7".

Two days later, the snow is still around, but the roads are clear and normal activities have resumed. However, winter fatigue is setting in with just about everyone I talk to. But we wouldn't appreciate spring if we didn't have winter. I am very happy to live in a place with four distinct seasons. I don't really like the very hot and cold weather, but I do appreciate the changes. When I lived along the Gulf Coast, the seasons were not so distinct, and I hadn't realized until then how important the changing seasons were in refreshing my mental outlook. And for that I am thankful.

Well, time's up. I had the time set for 11 minutes today, but I had to reset it.

Until next time...